Delphinium scaposum |
Delphinium geyeri |
|
---|---|---|
bare-stem larkspur, desert larkspur, tall mountain larkspur |
Geyer's larkspur, poisonweed |
|
Stems | 25-50(-65) cm; base usually reddish, glabrous, glaucous. |
(15-)30-60(-80) cm; base usually reddish, puberulent. |
Leaves | blade ± round, 0.5-4 × 0.5-6 cm, puberulent to glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-9, width 2-15 mm (basal), 0.5-3 mm (cauline). |
blade light green, ± round, 1-5 × 1-6 cm, densely pubescent; ultimate lobes 7-20, width 2-5 mm (basal), 2-4 mm (cauline), apex gradually tapering to point; veins obscure. |
Inflorescences | 10-25(-40)-flowered, cylindric; pedicel ascending, 0.6-2.5 cm, glabrous; bracteoles 2-5 mm from flowers, green to blue, linear-lanceolate, 2-4 mm, glabrous. |
6-30(-60)-flowered, ± open, cylindric; pedicel ascending to spreading, 1-3(-4) cm, puberulent; bracteoles 1-3 mm from flowers, green, lanceolate, 3-6 mm, puberulent. |
Flowers | sepals bright dark blue, glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, 11-14 × 4-6 mm, spurs straight, sometimes decurved, ascending 30-45° above horizontal, 13-18 mm; lower petal blades elevated, exposing stamens, 5-8 mm, cleft 2-4 mm; hairs mostly centered on inner lobes near junction of blade and claw, white. |
sepals bright blue, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading, 10-18 × 4-8 mm, spurs straight to slightly downcurved, ascending 0-30°, 11-16 mm; lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 4-8 mm, clefts 0.5-2 mm; hairs centered, densest on inner lobes near base of cleft, white to light yellow. |
Fruits | 12-16 mm, 2.5-3 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
11-15 mm, 3-3.5 times longer than wide, sparse puberulent. |
Seeds | seed coat cells ± brick-shaped, cell margins straight, surfaces smooth. |
unwinged; seed coat cells with margins straight, surfaces ± roughened. |
2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Delphinium scaposum |
Delphinium geyeri |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring. | Flowering late spring–early summer. |
Habitat | Juniper woods, grassland | Grasslands or Artemisia-Cercocarpus scrub |
Elevation | 1200-2700 m (3900-8900 ft) | 1400-3000 m (4600-9800 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; CO; NM; UT
|
CO; MT; NE; UT; WY
|
Discussion | Delphinium scaposum is reportedly used in Navajo and Hopi religous ceremonies, as well as for a wash following childbirth (D. E. Moerman 1986). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Apparently closely related to Delphinium stachydeum, D. geyeri is generally smaller, earlier flowering, with more finely dissected leaves and a more eastern geographic distribution. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Subscaposa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Wislizenana |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | D. andersonii var. scaposum | |
Name authority | Greene: Bot. Gaz. 6: 156. 1881, not D. scaposum W. T. Wang (1957) | Greene: Erythea 2: 189. (1894) |
Web links |